Minutes of the Executive Committee meeting of Friday 16 June 2017 in Riga, Latvia

Transcription

1 Minutes of the Executive Committee meeting of Friday 16 June 2017 in Riga, Latvia For a list of those present and those sending apologies, see Annex 1. Minutes: Richard Dowling (Secretary) (1) Opening Remarks The Acting-Director of Latvian Customs welcomed ECSA Executive Committee members to Riga. She commended the benefits of sport in helping Customs people to recharge their batteries and the friendship and networking established at ECSA events. She wished the EC a fruitful meeting. JH thanked the acting Director for her remarks and introduced the members of the EC.He thanked her for the invitation, outlined the purpose of ECSA, thanked Latvian Customs for supporting Latvian participants in ECSA events and looked forward to the possibility of Latvian membership of the EC in the future. He also looked forward to the ECSA presentation the following week at the DG Club 1

2 meeting in Salzburg. JH thanked AM for all her work in setting up the meeting and LL for attending the meeting. (2) Minutes of Previous Meetings The minutes of the EC meeting of 27 January 2017 in Oslo, Norway were agreed as a true and fair record. (3) Matters Arising Action Point Discharged. In discussion, it was agreed that ECSA events should be open and welcoming to all, regardless of standard. JH said that the DG Club presentation mentioned this, along with the Association always being conscious of giving benefits back to administrations in return for their support. Action Point Ongoing. It was agreed that JH would write to member States asking firstly which one of the priority events (hiking, tennis, floorball, running) agreed at the AGM in 2017 they thought that they could host and secondly, how many people they might be able to send to the events where hosted by other Member States, responses being requested before the AGM. AM advised of the position in Latvia, where participation is limited to two events per annum, two or three people at each. Action Point Ongoing, JK is working on a standard method for uploading pictures for Finnish Customs and will apply this for the Association when he has finished. Action point Ongoing, JH will write to DGs, copied to representatives. Action Point Ongoing. 2

3 Action Point Ongoing, JH wrote to Member States individually. He reported on the responses that he had received. It was noted that the terms of office of MP and RD on the EC would end at the 2017 AGM. MP is happy to carry on serving on the EC and can be co+opted to do so. As a former Officer, RD will remain on the EC as a non+voting member for one further year. JH will write round Member States advising that the EC will need a new Secretary and at least one Ordinary Member, the latter having particular responsibilities candidates therefore needing to be willing and able to attend most if not all meetings and work between meetings and be in regular communication. (4) Treasurer s Report SMH presented his report. As at 12 June 2017, the association had 14,870,51 in the bank. Income was 3,300.00, all Member States having paid their subscriptions and expenditure was 4,038,61 against a budget of 4,965,00. SMH said that no further expenditure was likely for the remainder for the financial year, so these figures were likely to be those for the year as a whole. In discussion, SMH advised that the subvention for the German volleyball would be paid in the next financial year, as the event would be taking place in the next financial year. (5) Communications In the absence of MP, JH updated the meeting. The DG Club presentation has been completed and sent to Austrian Customs, the hosts of the DG Club meeting. JH showed the updated ECSA video. The meeting commended MP for the quality of the updated video. SMH advised that a gmail address has now been set up, which will allow videosharing on YouTube. JH reported on a meeting with Isobel Maltby of TAXUD. TAXUD is OK with becoming a full member of the Association and paying the usual subscription, from JH said that Isobel had said that she will try to get TAXUD to support ECSA with promotional items. JH also said that Isobel had asked if the Association could support events marking the 50th anniversary of the Customs Union and that he had agreed in principle. 3

4 (6) ECSA Fitness Week It was agreed that the photography competition winners would be decided by the AGM and that the competition prizes would go to the person submitting the photograph. (7) Calendar 2017 The EC noted that Luxembourg, France, Latvia, Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Austria would be taking part in the shooting competition between 29 June and 02 July. JH encouraged attendance at the Czech running competition, advising that the Deputy Minister of Finance would be taking part along with the Czech Customs Director-General and the regional Director. The marathon will be on 01 October. The tenpin bowling will be in November JH said that he is working on possible venues for the winter EC meeting. He will bear Malta, Croatia and the UK in mind. Football looks reasonably likely for Luxembourg. The Belgian running event will incorporate references to the 50th anniversary of the Customs union. The summer EC meeting will be on 15 June in Helsinki. Austria cannot do the sniffer dog competition due to a re-organisation of their Customs administration. (8) Shooting Competition Standards JH said that he would be at the shooting competition in two weeks time. TdG said that the competition next year would be his last and that the event needed a shooting expert to replace him, to monitor health and safety. He said that 4

5 Alonas Ritvas of Lithuania would be a good choice if he was available. It was agreed that the competition must be run under EPP rules. (9) Annual General Meeting JH said that he would be pressing the French for a programme for the AGM. He will issue a pre-invitation letter shortly. It was agreed to have an EC meeting the day before the AGM, between 4pm and 6pm. It was agreed to once again hold workshops at the AGM, subjects for these being agreed as the website, how to attract new participants to events and the information that a new ECSA delegate needs to know and what is expected of them. It was agreed to consider a promotional item marking the 25th anniversary of the Association, for possible issue at the AGM. (10) Any Other Business JH said that his Deputy Director-General would be attending the AGM prior to her retirement. As she has always been a great support to the Association, it was agreed that JH could purchase her a commemorative gift or gifts, up to 100 in value. JH advised the meeting that suggestions had been made that this yearæs Italian team at the table tennis had contained players who were neither serving nor retired Customs or tax officers and who were therefore ineligible to play. He said that he would raise this with MP. Action Point 08-17: JH to ask MP about the eligibility of the Italian players at the table tennis tournament. AK updated the meeting on the upcoming German volleyball tournament. The closing date for entries is 10 July. AK said that he had been asked by his administration to brief it in advance of the DG Club meeting in Austria. AK reported on the survey of Member States that he had conducted, asking about sports administration in their countries. He said that thirteen Member States had replied so far. he said that he would draw up some kind of comparison for the AGM. LL thanked the EC for inviting him to the meeting. 5

6 SMH updated the meeting on the latest re-organisation of the Danish Customs and tax administrations. he also said that there would be a new ECSA representative chosen in March 2018 but that he would continue as Treasurer after that time. TdG said that it was very important that 4 Days Marches participants checked the information supplied to the event very carefully and responded to the event address. PL commended Luxembourg on the organisation of the trail race. Arrangements for Next Meeting The next meeting will be the Annual General meeting of the Association, to be held in Bordeaux, France on Friday 20 October JH thanked AM once more for organising the meeting and those present for attending. There being no further business, the meeting closed at 3.25pm. RICHARD DOWLING Secretary 26 June

7 Annex 1 Persons present and apologies received Name Role Present/Apologies Jan Hlinka (JH) President Present Andreas Krueckeberg (AK) Vice-President Present Richard Dowling (RD) Secretary Present Svend-Mandel Hansen (SMH) Treasurer Present Marco Paladino (MP) Ordinary Member Apologies Theo de Goeijen (TdG) Ordinary Member Present Palle Lundborg (PL) Ordinary Member Present Agate Mellere (AM) Host Present Lasse Lehtokangas (LL) Guest Present 7

8 Annex 2 Update on action points from previous meeting(s) AP BY ACTION POINT From Annual General Meeting of 01 October /11 ALL Representatives having information about how ECSA contacts have benefitted member state administrations to send this to JH. Ongoing. From meeting of 27 January /17 JH JH to initiate gathering of information about the day jobs of EC members. Discharged. 03/17 JH JH to write to Member States seeking to generate interest in them hosting some of the new events discussed at the AGM. Ongoing. 04/17 PL PL to establish a standard method for uploading pictures from the ECSA Fitness Week. Ongoing, JK is working on a standard method for uploading pictures for Finnish Customs and will apply this for the Association when he has finished. 05/17 JH JH to write to all Member States publicising ECSA Fitness Week. Ongoing. JH will write to DGs, copied to representatives. 06/17 JK Janne Kallio to publicise ECSA Fitness Week on the website. Ongoing. 07/17 JH JH to write round the member States seeking expressions of interest in serving on the EC. Ongoing. 8

9 Annex 3 Events & Meetings in 2017 Activity Date Member State Comments EC meeting 27 January Oslo Norway Skiing March Italy Pinzolo Urban Trail 30 April Luxembourg Luxembourg Mountain Biking 19 May United Kingdom Matlock Table Tennis Mid-May Poland Swider Running 28 May Belgium Brussels EC meeting 16 June Latvia Riga Shooting 29 June 02 July Hungary Budapest Walking July Netherlands Nijmegen Running 01 03/09 Czech Republic 10K & 1 mile Fitness Week 04 08/09 All Road Cycling 22 September United Kingdom Stansted, Essex Marathon 01 October Slovakia Kosice AGM 20 October France Bordeaux Volleyball 02/11 05/11 Germany Cologne Tenpin Bowling November/December Sweden Gothenburg Note Activities in italics are not yet confirmed. 9

10 Annex 4 Events & Meetings in 2018 Activity Date Member State Comments EC meeting Jan/Feb Malta/Croatia/UK? Skiing Feb/March Italy Pool April Malta Table Tennis Mid-May Poland Swider Mountain Biking May United Kingdom Football May Luxembourg Running 27 May Belgium Brussels EC meeting 15 June Finland Helsinki Walking Mid-July Netherlands Nijmegen Fitness Week 1st Week Sept All Running 07 09/09 Czech Republic 10K & 1 mile Golf September Austria Sniffer Dogs September Austria Road Cycling 21 September United Kingdom Kent AGM Sept/early Oct Germany Cologne or Hamburg Marathon Early October Hungary Budapest Swimming October United Kingdom Corby Streetball November Hungary Note Activities in italics are not yet confirmed. 10

11 Annex 5 Action Points Taken Forward AP BY ACTION POINT From Annual General Meeting of 01 October /11 ALL Representatives having information about how ECSA contacts have benefitted member state administrations to send this to JH. From meeting of 27 January /17 JH JH to write to Member States seeking to generate interest in them hosting some of the new events discussed at the AGM. 04/17 PL PL to establish a standard method for uploading pictures from the ECSA Fitness Week. 05/17 JH JH to write to all Member States publicising ECSA Fitness Week. 06/17 JK Janne Kallio to publicise ECSA Fitness Week on the website. 07/17 JH JH to write round the member States seeking expressions of interest in serving on the EC. From meeting of 16 June /17 JH JH to ask MP about the eligibility of the Italian players at the table tennis tournament. 11